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(No Model.) I y L A.' WHITMAN.

GAB. GQUPLING. No. 322,512. Pazentdv July 21, 1885.

-pjf-l- 1 UNITED STATES IRVIN A. VHITMAN, OF LYONS, NEV YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EDWIN K. LEONARD, OF SAME PLAGE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 322,512, dated July 21, 1885.

Application tiled May 20, 1835. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRvrN A. WHITMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lyons, in the county of Wayne and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in car-couplings; and it consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of certain parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure lis an end elevation of my coupling, showing it in position on the car. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section, of the coupling detached from the car. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the pin, and Fig. 5 is a detail view of the pin-supporting block.

In carrying out my invention I secure to the car a draw-head, A, the mouth of which is made iiaring, as shown. A passage, A', runs nearly the entire length of the draw-head, and a block, B, works within this passage, as will be described. This passage A' is open at its outer end, as shown, forming, practically, a continuation of the flaring mouth. The tlaring walls of the mouth of the draw-head project a short distance across the open end of the draw-head, forming the shoulders A2 A2, as shown. The pin-supporting block B is pressed toward the mouth ofthe draw-head by a'coilspring, B', placed behind the block and held between it and the rear wall of the draw-head. The front end of this block has its lower end cut away, as shown, so as to allow room for the end of the link behind the couplingpin. In the top of this block B, I'form a cavity,`B2, in which rests the latch O. Thislatch can be used orpnot, as desired. rIhis cavity B2 is constructed, as shown, with a shoulder, B3, at its inner end, and converging upward at its outer end, so as to cause the latch C to gradually rise as the block is pushed back. This inclination of the outer end of the cavity B2 also insures perfect action of the latch G in preventing the block B from pressing with too much force upon t-he coupling-pin, as will be described. The latch C and the coupling-pin D are suspended from the lever E, and are operated nearly simultaneously by it, as will be described. The latch C is held upon the lever E by ashort chain, F, as shown. The outer end ofthe lever E is formed into a hook, E', which engages an eye or opening, D', in the upper end of the couplinglpin. By hanging the coupling-pin on the lever E in the manner just described, I am enabled to quickly substitute a good pin for onethat has been broken. The couplingpin is provided with a crossbar, D2, formed integral with it for depressing the end of the link, as will be described. This cross-barD2 is made of a length equal to the width of the link, so as to bear upon the link with each end. end ofthe car, and is journaled in vertical supporting-plates H, secured to the sides of the draw-head or attached to the end of the car. The lever E is made integral with the rod G, which is bent at right angles at each end, as shown, the bent portions forming handlesfor turning the rod, and thereby operating the coupling-pin and latch, as will be readily understood.

Vhen my invention is applied to passengercars, the plates H can be so adj usted as to bring the rod G just in front of the platform. Vhen itis applied to stock or freight cars, it cau be operated from the top of the car by running a suitable rod to the top of the car, as shown in Fig. l.

The operation of my device will be readily understood upon reference to the drawings. In the drawings the parts are shown in the positions they will have when the cars are coupled. Vhen it is desired to uncouple the cars, the rod G is turned so as to throw the outer end of the lever E up, thereby raising the coupling-pin and the latch C, and allowing the blockBto be thrown forward by the spring B'. The link will be forced out fast enough A rod, G, is placed across the to prevent the pin from recoupling before the train is drawn apart. The chain F is made of such a length that thelatchGWill not be drawn up from the block B until the coupling-pin is nearly out of the draw-head. When the block B is thrown forward by the spring B, it is arrested by the upper shoulder, A. The coupling-pin and the latch are then lowered until they rest on the top of the block B. When it is desired to couple'the cars, the link is placed in one draw-head by hand and one car then backed toward the 0th er. The link will strike the block B, forcing it back, and the pin and latch will drop into their proper places, the pin passing through the link and thelatch into the cavity B2. The block will be pushed back farther than the position shown in Fig. 3, but on its recoil will assume that position, the latch G preventing its pressing` too hard against the coupling-pin. By depressing the coupling-pin the crossbar D2 will. be made to bear on the end of the link and raise the same, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 3, the lower shoulder, A2, acting as a fulcrum. By this action I am enabled to couple cars of different heights. The draw-head is provided with a transverse slot or elongated pin-opening, A3, to permit the lateral arms or crossbar D2 of the coupling-pin D to pass down into the said drawhead.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination of the pin provided with a cross-bar extended transversely to the opening in the draw-head, and adapted to bear on the link, the link and the fulcrum-shoulder,

substantially as described, and for the pur-l poses set forth.

2. The combination of the draw-head, the pinsupporting block sliding in the draw-head, and the latch C, resting upon the pin-supporting block, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a car-coupling, the coupling-piu hereinbefore described, provided with a cross-bar or lateral wings extended transversely to the opening in the draw-head, and beveled or cut away on its under outer side, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The combination of the block B, thelatch C, the coupling-pin, the link, thelever E, and the operating-rod G, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

IRVIN A. W'HITMAN.

Witnesses:

F. A. TANNER, E. K. LEONARD. 

